Chapter 3 The Locker Room

“Ali…” The sniffling voice of her colleague, Holly, greeted her. Her voice and nose sounded thick with an awful cold. “Could you cover my shift, please?”

Alicia rushed off to cover Holly’s shift, needing the money as an extra bonus, forgetting until she was two hours into waitressing the promise she made to watch her boyfriend’s hockey game. She texted Tom quickly before her boss scolded her for looking at her phone; her intention was to make it up to him after the shift ended. Now, after hours of waitressing, Alicia showered and changed before turning up to the ice rink at school, biting on the inside of her cheek as the crowds started to disperse and the cars were already lining up, honking in traffic to leave.

Pushing through the crowds, Alicia made it outside the men’s locker rooms and kept looking at her phone. Tom left her on ‘read’ after her last texts about meeting up after the game. She acknowledged this had happened more than once, though she’d always shown up for his games and snuck off with him afterwards. This was the first time she didn’t make it to his match.

The sounds of the guys acting rowdy, chanting, singing and sounding lively after the match was a good sign that they’d won. The door swung open, and the smell of the locker room wafted towards Alicia as one of the guys, Henley, stopped after seeing her waiting by the door. He smirked at her and opened the door again, looking inside.

“Tom! Ya side piece is here!”

Alicia frowned, her hands curling into a fist. “I am not his side piece,” she growled, glaring at Henley, who was a known player. His groupies were waiting further down the hallway, their stares piercing into the back of her as he was too close to the wolfless girl.

“Uhuh.”

“Alicia is my one and only!” Tom called from inside. “Don’t you dare insult her like that!”

The temper that had been flaring in her chest dissipated as her lips twitched into a smile. That was her Tom. He always stuck up for her, even though she was a huge disappointment. She was genuinely so lucky to be with someone like Tom.

Not only was he captain of the Hockey team, but he was also an Alpha to the pack and third-generation heir to the Alpha King. Someone like Tom shouldn’t hold any interest in someone like Alicia, but he did.

“Fine,” Henley smirked, his eyes roaming down her body. “You better get your sweet ass in there then. He was disappointed you didn’t watch his game.”

Tom burst through the door, grabbing Henley by the back of his jacket. Like all hockey players and werewolves, Henley was tall, large, and muscular, but Tom had Alpha blood and was more powerful. “Stop drooling over what is mine,” he hissed before releasing him.

Although he was large, Henley stumbled and bowed his head in submission. “Sorry, Tom.”

Tom’s attention wasn’t on Henley, though; his arm was already curling around Alicia’s waist, his lips pressing against hers. “I missed you tonight,” he whispered, the sadness in his voice twisting at Alicia’s heart. His blonde hair tickled the side of her neck where his mouth dove to pepper her in kisses.

“I’m sorry. I hope to make it up to you,” Alicia replied, her arms sliding around Tom’s neck.

Tom smirked. “Oh, I’m sure you will.” He lifted his girlfriend up, mouth claiming her again as he led her further into the locker room. Catcalls followed them until, simultaneously, those remaining started to leave. Tom had mind-linked the others to go so they could have some alone time.

Alicia giggled breathlessly as he pushed her up against the lockers, their kissing growing heated, his hand groping at her breast as he rubbed the erection in his jeans against the inside of her thigh. Lust burned inside of her as she started to lose herself to this man, this Alpha, who could be with anyone he chose, yet he chose her.

Their kissing intensified, and the feel of him pressing against her heated body made her legs tremble. His leg parted them further, allowing his hand to lower to the bottom of her skirt and ride it up. “Alicia, you’re so beautiful,” he murmured against the shell of her ear, his hand going to her underwear.

Alicia’s eyes snapped open, only then realising how far they were going. Her hand shot down and rested atop his just as his thumb flicked against her clit. “No!” She squeezed her eyes shut.

“What’s wrong?” Tom breathed; his thumb continued to move in circles, driving her insane. “Don’t you want this? I can feel how wet you are for me.”

Alicia quivered, fighting against her desire to part her legs. She heard his belt buckle loosen and the shift of his body before his heated length pressed against her. “Stop!” Alicia pushed against Tom’s chest, but he was so large and muscular that it did nothing.

“I mean it, Tom! Stop right now!” She screeched, the alarming tone in her voice shocking Tom into a stupor. That momentary pause was enough for Alicia to push at him harder and back away.

“What the hell?” Tom frowned, tugging his boxers up and jeans up. “You’re acting like I’m trying to rape you!”

Alicia shook her head. “I told you how I feel about this. I’m not ready.” She gulped, hating to go against Tom’s wishes. But this was an ongoing argument, one that she wouldn’t budge on.

Tom slammed his fist into the locker beside him. “We’ve been together long enough now… Why are you acting like this? Do you not want me? You don’t want to sleep with the Alpha’s son?”

“You know it has nothing to do with that! You must understand… I don’t want to have sex unless you mark me… the pack already despise me because I lack a wolf… If they find out I slept with you, then there would be rumours, slut shaming and bullying-”

Tom stepped in her direction, clearly frustrated. “You think I will let them?” He asked incredulously. “Haven’t I already stood up for you?”

Yes, he had. But Alicia didn’t fully trust Tom. He had been wonderful being there for Alicia, not behaving like his siblings or other werewolves and looking down on her. He didn’t ridicule her and preferred her company, complaining about how the other she-wolves acted around him compared to her.

However, for the last four months, Tom had been trying to sleep with Alicia, and it was starting to wear her down, but she stood by what she believed was right. Alicia knew her standing compared to Tom, the next Alpha of the Blue Crescent pack, and knew how Alphas were before they met their mate or discovered a good Luna for their pack. Alicia would not be named one of those she-wolves who threw herself at an Alpha, giving away her virginity, whether she was his girlfriend or not.

“Tom, I only ask that you see things my way. You have nothing to lose… and I have everything to lose,” Alicia replied, her lips wobbling. She refused to get emotional over this. Tom liked her because she was strong and independent and always told him straight.

“Alicia…”

Alicia’s phone rang, and she squeezed her eyes shut at who was calling. “Work?” Tom asked with a grunt.

“It’s the bar…”

After finishing her phone call with the supervisor, Alicia said her farewell to Tom, leaving him a brief kiss before racing off to her moped. She was torn between work and the argument she had with Tom, but the more she saved up, the quicker she could leave her parent's house.

Tom watched as Alicia disappeared on him again. Once more, he was left with a raging boner in his pants. It was getting a little embarrassing that his girlfriend didn’t want to sleep with him. The lads were starting to notice that his anger was getting worse with his frustration.

With a sigh, Tom left the locker room, flinging his backpack over his shoulder, stopping mid-stride, realising he was not alone. Darci smiled at him softly, putting her hair behind her ear and looking down with a slight blush coating her cheeks. “You know… I would never treat you that way…”

Tom already knew Darci was not as innocent as she appeared. He’d seen her try to bully Alicia on many occasions. She intrigued him. What was Alicia’s sister trying to scheme? “Oh yeah? And how would you treat me?” He smirked, entertaining this dark-haired beauty.

Darci looked so much like Alicia, yet nothing like her at the same time. Alicia’s sister brushed up against him, arms wrapping around his bicep as she pressed her breasts into him. Tom’s smile faltered, and his eyes dropped to look at them. “You’ve done so much for Alicia, and she’s never around. You’re so good to her, an amazing boyfriend. I must admit…” She squeezed against him more, her breasts almost swallowing up his arm. “I am a little jealous. You’re too good for her.”

Tom gulped, his eyes still locked on the swell of her breasts. She wore a tight mini dress, and the material strained against their size. “I can show you… How I’d treat you… My Alpha?” Darci purred before going on her tiptoes to kiss him, her hand rubbing against his groin.

Tom moaned at the feel of another woman’s wanting touch and the press of her body against his after being let down so many times. He caved in, dropping his bag before tugging Darci into the nearest closet. Within minutes, the empty hallway was full of lustful moans.